AMD model numbers and Speed

AMD Athalon XP 2900+ has a speed of 2.0GHz, 2600+ is 2.10GHz and 2700+ is 2.17GHz. So which is a speedier processor,the one with a higher model number or the one with a higher GHz.Why a higher model number has a lower GHz? Does anybody know the key to this confusion.Recently at a trade show in Boston I asked a tech at the AMD booth.He said when chips are made many don't turn out to be the one aimed for.So not to waste chips with a different speed is given a new model number??

Several things affect the performance rating / clock speed of the chip; fsb [front side bus] speed, amount of cache on the chip. You can have a 2600+ chip with a clock speed of 2.08 and a fsb of 333. You can also have a 2600+ with a clock speed of 2.0 and a fsb of 400.
The are amd64 chips with the same performance rating and different multipliers. The amount of on chip cache makes the difference.

In general, the one running at the higher GHZ will be faster but, there are exceptions depending on cache size on the chip. The two you mention are probably not significantly different from each other.
Just my 2 cents

AMD Athalon XP 2900+ has a speed of 2.0GHz, 2600+ is 2.10GHz and 2700+ is 2.17GHz. So which is a speedier processor,the one with a higher model number or the one with a higher GHz.Why a higher model number has a lower GHz? Does anybody know the key to this confusion.Recently at a trade show in Boston I asked a tech at the AMD booth.He said when chips are made many don't turn out to be the one aimed for.So not to waste chips with a different speed is given a new model number??

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there are different cores and different L2 cache, Bartons are 512 cache, and 333 or 400fsb, there are throughbred cores which are used for the Semprons, 333 fsb with 256 L2, they use to be 266fsb.